


The Room Was Spinning

by iktwabrokenbone (apiculteur)



Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2018-03-02 15:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2817104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apiculteur/pseuds/iktwabrokenbone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh doesn't understand why people care if he drinks or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Room Was Spinning

**Author's Note:**

> for anon's prompt:  
> I've got a pretty sad/angsty prompt if that's okay? josh doesn't understand why people care if he drinks or not - especially tyler - so why does he keep getting asked about it? (I was thinking his reason for not drinking could be the same as mine i don't drink because I'm scared that I will use alcohol as a way to escape from depression and end up doing something stupid - feel free to change it though) but tyler comforts him at the end or something?? This is confusing I'm sorry ily
> 
> ((len is based on leonard mccoy from star trek bc i am an unoriginal nERD))
> 
> title from run dry by patrick stump

Josh had never understood why people drank alcohol so much. The taste was too strong, like someone had taken the first few chemicals they found and then threw them together in a fancy bottle and demanded high sums of money. Really, Josh wasn't entirely convinced that _wasn't_ what had happened.

It had never been something he had enjoyed, and maybe a part of that was because of the people he had seen with a glass bottle in hand and brittle, bitter smiles on their faces, but there was no reason to overthink it. Most people drank alcohol and he didn't, and they would question him about it, and he would avoid saying anything other than he didn't like it. That was just how it was.

Things were always slightly different when it was Tyler though, because Tyler was his best friend, and Josh couldn't lie to him, wouldn't want to even if Tyler wasn't able to see right to his core. They were watching some movie on Josh's couch, Tyler lying down with his head in Josh's lap, when Tyler asked him why he didn't drink alcohol. It was done casually, just a random thought which he happened to choose to throw out into the open, but Josh's spine became rigid. "I just don't," he said, revealing as little as possible

Tyler twisted his head, trying to look at him. "What?" Tyler asked, looking confused at the way Josh suddenly closed himself off.

The flitting between camera angles on screen made the shadows cast around the room flicker, changing from blue to red to darkness. Josh didn't look at Tyler, as he was so obviously being willed to do, but instead kept a firm gaze on the TV screen, only seeing blurred colours and faint shapes, hearing the hushed conversation of two characters.

"Did I say something?" Tyler asked, apologetic and confused.

Josh made a vague sound. "No dude, I'm just tired," he said. Tiredness somehow managed to explain anything away, and had quickly became Josh's automatic response when he didn't want to tell the truth. Most people would've believed it, because Josh was actually a surprisingly good liar, but this was _Tyler_.

Regardless, it succeeded in stopping Tyler from pressing more, despite the curious look he was given, the minuscule frown he wore when he turned back to the movie. Josh ignored it and went back to pretending to comprehend what was happening on screen. It just looked like a smudged charcoal drawing to him, except there were colours and meaningless noises to accompany it.

***

Understandably, bars weren't Josh's favourite place to go. It wasn't because he didn't like being around alcohol, because he really didn't mind it too much, it was just that everyone else ended up at least tipsy whilst he stayed sober, and no matter how many times he awkwardly refused offers of alcohol, someone always asked again.

Of course, Tyler was there to subtly tell them to back off, but now Tyler was at the bathroom or something. He wasn't quite sure, but one of their friends, Joyce, was offering him a beer again.

Len rolled his eyes at her. "If the man doesn't want to drink, he doesn't want to drink," he said, making Josh jump slightly. He was a decent enough guy, but he tended to be the one pushing Josh to drink, because of his passion for any spirit. It was difficult trying to get into his head that people were capable of having differing tastes.

"Thanks, Len," Josh muttered, and Len rolled his eyes.

"Sure, kid. D'you want a drink on me? Doesn't have to be alcoholic," he offered, and Josh nodded graciously, spoke to his friends as Len walked off to the bar.

Len returned with some sort of fruity drink, which Josh had never seen before. "Nonalcoholic?" Josh confirmed, and Len nodded, muttering something under his breath about Josh not trusting him.

He had finished his forth- had downed them all slightly too quickly- when Tyler came back, saying something about getting a call. Josh just grinned. Tyler was swaying, the frown on his face hard to focus on, despite how close they were. Josh kept unconsciously leaning forwards, their faces nearly pressed together.

Hands were on his shoulders- Tyler's hands, and he smelt like warm and soft, so much better than the stench of beer and sweat from the bar- and Tyler wasn't swaying anymore, because, oh, it had been Josh who the whole time.

"Hey, dude, have you drank anything since I left?" Tyler asked, glancing at the empty glasses on the table.

He nodded, an exaggerated movement. "Lenny is great! He got me some nonalcoholic drinks," Josh said. "I don't know why I haven't had them before."

Tyler's face contorted strangely, his hands gripping Josh's shoulders too tightly. He dropped them after a couple seconds, apologised and took his hand instead. "Josh, don't panic, but I think you're slightly drunk."

Josh felt like an idiot for not noticing earlier. His anger and betrayal didn't sober him up, he was still unsteady on his feet and less in control of his emotions. His throat burnt, and he shook his head. "I've gotta get outta here," he said, letting go of Tyler's hand and walking away.

He knew Tyler was following, and that was what he wanted, really. He didn't want to be drunk _and_ alone, at least. Tyler caught up with him after half a block, had to jog slightly to keep up with his pace. He didn't say anything, not when they were walking and not when they were sat in the back of a taxi, was completely silent until they were back on the tour bus.

The crew must have seen Josh, eyes tinted red from how much he'd been rubbing them, and they got out of the way. Josh was thankful for that, didn't want to be around them when he was _drunk_. He hated it, hated himself for believing Len, hated Len so much more for knowingly getting him drunk. He _knew_ he would hate this, must've know that he would find out. Josh wasn't a violent man, but throwing a punch or two at Len seemed like a good idea. Maybe that was just the alcohol talking, he wasn't sure, but it just served to make him more angry and upset that he _didn't_ know.

Tyler was sitting beside him on the couch, a small distance away. Usually, their legs and shoulders would touch, and often one would be laying across the other. Josh appreciated Tyler letting him decide if they touched, shuffled closer and tucked his head away in Tyler's neck.

"I hate this," he said. "I hate Len."

"Me too." Tyler was solid beside him, and when Josh was sitting still with his eyes closed, he could hardly tell he was a bit intoxicated.

A minute or two passed in silence, Josh focusing on Tyler's heartbeat, copying his slow, steady breaths. Tyler must be curious about why he was so upset. If Josh really only avoided drinking because of the taste, he wouldn't be this upset he was drunk, and yet here they were; in an empty tour bus, Josh slouched against Tyler's side, practically sober at this point but still close to tears.

"I'm not always as okay as I want to be," he whispered to Tyler. They did similar things like this often enough- told each other things they had never said aloud before, wishes at eleven eleven, confessions at two in the morning. Tyler said nothing, knew Josh didn't want lulling words just yet. "I'm not always okay, and I don't want alcohol to be the solution. I've seen people drown themselves with it, ruin their lives or their families, and I don't want to be that person. I'll use it to try fix my problems and then I'll do something stupid and ruin everything."

"That's okay," Tyler murmured. "If you don't wanna drink because you think you'll do something stupid, that's your choice, and Len is an asshole. You don't deserve that."

Josh tried to nod without moving his head from the crook of Tyler's neck.

"And it's okay if you're not okay," Tyler told him. "I'm just pleased you're being healthy about it, okay?"

Josh nodded. He was tired, and he would probably fall asleep wrapped in the comfort of _Tyler_ if he didn't move soon. "Thanks. I love you."

"I love you too," Tyler told him. "You should probably go sleep now."

It was a struggle to make himself stand, walk to his bunk. He stared at it when he got there, thought about the energy he would have to exert to climb into his bunk above Tyler.

"We can sleep together," Tyler suggested, and Josh didn't bother to respond, just crawled into Tyler's bunk without changing out of his jeans, or even taking off his shoes. He was tired and not okay, but that was okay.

**Author's Note:**

> i read this thing about how that was like the 40's equivalent of slipping something in a girls drink bc like most women didnt drink back then and had a rly low alcohol tolerance and shit but idk this was probably inaccurate
> 
> and you can always prompt me [here](http://iktwabrokenbone.tumblr.com/ask).


End file.
